Make medium density housing a priority, report says

More medium density housing must be made a priority, as the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) is at risk of missing provincial population targets, according to a recent report. This would potentially result in 7,200 fewer new homes being built each year until 2041, which creates context for the recent introduction of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).

The report – The GTHA’s Unbalanced Housing Stock: Benchmarking Ontario’s New LPAT System – states that up to 165,600 homes are at risk of not being built over the next 23 years. That’s equal to an annual loss of $1.95 billion in GDP from residential construction activity if various constraints continue to inhibit the goals set by the provincial growth plan, Places to Grow.

Paul Smetanin, president of socio-economic research and data firm the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA), says an important factor that will prevent the region from hitting provincial homebuilding targets is the lack of medium-density housing starts, or the Missing Middle.

“Hamilton has made the most progress on the Missing Middle,” Smetanin says. “Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Newmarket less so, while Brampton is biased towards lower density starts.”

There are a range of issues among the region’s most populous municipalities, including:

Only 15 per cent of GTHA households live in medium-density housing, which leads to an inadequate supply of appropriate housing types for a range of household sizes and budgets.

Toronto’s number of annual starts is five to 15 per cent higher than required to hit Places to Grow targets. However, the mix of housing is constrained by land, meaning the city’s supply will be highly skewed towards taller towers.

York Region is the only area in the GTHA with current annual starts on pace to meet its future target population.

Among municipalities with populations of more than 80,000 people, Oshawa, Brampton and Newmarket have the lowest share of higher-density starts.

Municipalities can better optimize infrastructure investments by ensuring that community growth planning is based on a long-term and strategic analysis of our future housing requirements.

“We commissioned the report because we wanted to find out what the possible impacts of LPAT will be on delivering housing,” says Andy Manahan, executive director of the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario. “We will work with provincial and municipal government officials to help ensure that the transition to the new LPAT system is as seamless as possible and does not create negative consequences for the housing supply in the province.”

RCCAO is a labour-management construction alliance which has advocated for infrastructure investment for 13 years, commissioning 48 independent, solutions-based reports and 10 videos to help inform decision-makers. To read the report, go to rccao.com/research/files/RCCAO_LPAT_REPORT_2018.pdf

High Park may be popular draw in Toronto in spring with the bloom of the cherry blossoms, but just up the street on High Park Ave., 260 High Park Church Lofts & Residences is gaining due attention for a significant condo conversion.
Developer Medallion Capital Group recently released the Church Loft suites as part of this project, which involves the re-envisioning of the Alhambra Church at the southwest corner of Anette St. and High Park Ave. in Toronto's west end. The design retains and repurposes the elements that are of historical value in the heritage building, while introducing a new addition massed sensitively around the main sanctuary.
Just 15 prized Sanctuary Church Lofts are available in the historic church structure, with another 55 units in a brand new, adjoining four-storey residence.
Retaining much of the original church facade, including large stained-glass windows and 10-ft. ceiling heights, Sanctuary Church Lofts range from 837 to 3,081 sq. ft. in one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den, two-bedroom and two-bedroom plus den configurations, and priced from $1 million to slightly less than $4 million. Units in the new structure range from one-bedrooms to three-bedrooms plus den, and are priced from the mid $600's.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400"] Chris Giamou, principal at Medallion Capital Group[/caption]
"What's important, and what really appealed to us, is proximity to transportation, Bloor West Village as well as the 400 acres of High Park, an iconic municipal park destination in Toronto," says Chris Giamou, principal at Medallion Capital. "All of these are part and parcel of the amenities that are built into this project."
The design team for 260 High Park comprises Boston-based, internationally renowned Finegold Alexander Architects for the heritage conversion of the church; Toronto-based Turner Fleischer for the contemporary residences; Toronto-based ERA Architects for the heritage conservation plan; MEP Design for landscaping; and U31 for interiors.
As is typical with such heritage conversion projects, especially given what the High Park area and the former church means to local residents, consultation with stakeholders leading up to the project was paramount.
"What was most important to heritage, in particular, was the protection of existing elements from street level," Giamou told Homes Publishing. Based on such feedback, Medallion Capital altered its original design which surrounded the church with glass and window curtain walls.
"We know High Park is born and bred of brick, and the community didn't like that concept," Giamou says. "The compromise was that we maintained the north facade of the schoolhouse and the first bay of the west elevation. In addition to that, we replaced the glass with brick pattern that matches the existing brick."
Though the building contains 70 units in total, it was actually zoned for as many as 77. "We purposely went larger to make these end-user units," says Giamou, as investors will likely not be part of the buyer profile.
Site preparation is underway, and construction is set to begin this summer.
260 High Park Church Lofts & Residences

Most of us got our start in construction by playing with Lego bricks as kids. It seems that some of us don’t want to grow up. French company, Brickawood International, has developed wood-framed housing kits with interior and exterior walls that are assembled without nails, screws, or glue.

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SFA SANIFLO INC. (“SANIFLO”) is the only manufacturer of its kind in North America offering a complete line of macerating toilet systems for residential and light-commercial applications where installation of plumbing fixtures with below-floor drainage is impossible or cost-prohibitive.

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Oscar winner Sandra Bullock is not only diversified when it comes to the roles she plays. Her highly successful film career has also given her the wealth to own almost any home she chooses, and she doesn't choose like other celebrities who vie with each other to own the latest and greatest Hollywood pad.
In fact, Bullock has quietly been building a diversified real estate empire. She owns, rents out, sells and lives in homes and vacation homes from coast to coast. What many would say is one of the best is a secluded beach estate on Tybee Island, Georgia which she has owned for 18 years. A busy schedule has prevented Bullock and her two children from spending vacation time there, and she has decided to put it on the market, priced at US$6.5 million.
This property has an architecturally stunning main house and guest house on almost three acres made up of nine parcels, but also has private access to one of the prettiest white-sand beaches in the country. The estate has the capacity to sleep 12 in luxury and fun, with the large pool, games room, gym, a basketball court and private beach entrance.
Structures include the 3,360-sq.-ft. plantation-style main house with multiple screened verandas, double-height living room ceiling with beachy decor and a 2,848-sq.-ft. guest house with living room fireplace, a crow's nest and an outdoor grill. Overall, there are seven bedrooms and six baths between the two buildings. The home is decorated with emphasis on white linen and wicker with a contemporary airy, beachy vibe and all furnishings, except for a few personal items, are included in the sale. Bullock has rented the estate as a vacation rental at US$1,400 a night with a minimum of a three-night stay.

Euro-Line Appliances has brought elite European engineered appliances to Canadian homes for over 25 years. Our brands exceed expectations and have earned awards in design, engineering, performance, and energy efficiency. All of our cooking, refrigeration, dishwashers, and laundry appliances are created to conserve our non-renewable resources.

Cosentino is a global, family-owned company that produces and distributes high value innovative surfaces for the world of architecture and design, leaders in their respective segments such as Silestone® Quartz surfaces and Dekton® Ultracompact surfaces. Technologically advanced surfaces that create unique designs for the home and public spaces.

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The former Ontario government’s growth policies have had the unintended consequences of lengthening the land development and approval process in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), negatively impacting housing supply and affordability.

This is among the key findings in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Land Supply Analysis from the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) and Malone Given Parsons Ltd. (MGP).

“Growth policies implemented by the former provincial government from 2006 and 2017 have reduced the amount of available land for new housing communities, increased land prices and have caused home prices to skyrocket,” says Dave Wilkes, president and CEO, BILD, referring to the 2006 and 2017 Growth Plans.

“Land use in the province of Ontario is highly regulated and the 2006 and 2017 Growth Plan changes have slowed down the approval process to bring new land on stream for new communities,” adds Matthew Corey, principal, MGP. “Increasing the supply of new land for housing is subject to a process that can take as long as a decade or more.”

The analysis is intended to provide an accurate accounting of greenfield land supply in the GTHA and Simcoe, to determine if the 2031 population and job forecasts of the Growth Plan will be achieved.

Key observations

The percentage of available land that has been approved for new housing communities in the GTHA is 4.5 per cent and decreasing.

Some municipalities in the GTHA have yet to conform to the 2006 Growth Plan requirements, missing the 2009 target by nearly a decade, resulting in less housing being built across GTA municipalities versus Growth Plan forecasts.

As land supply dwindles and as municipal delays increase, the value of serviced land has increased by more than 300 per cent since 2006.

Existing low density neighbourhoods in the GTHA are resistant to intensification, pushing density to urban cores and to new communities near the fringes of the GTHA. The latter are far away from transit and infrastructure, putting a greater reliance on cars and increasing traffic congestion.

More gentle density homes (stacked-townhouses and lowrise apartments) should be built within walking distance of transit in built-up areas of the GTHA. This will maximize investment in infrastructure and transit. However, community resistance to increased density makes building in this area time-consuming, expensive and subject to intervention at the municipal level.

Recommendations

BILD and Malone Given Parsons offer six recommendations to help solve the issues:

Make more vacant land available for new communities

Cut bureaucratic red tape and reduce duplication in the planning and approval process

Avoid pushing too much density to fringe areas and away from transit and existing infrastructure

Encourage moderate or gentle intensification across the region by clarifying and amending Growth Plan policies to encourage intensification across the GTHA

Maximize investment in transit and infrastructure

Provide greater certainty for future development by identifying the agricultural and rural lands in the inner-ring (Whitebelt) as future urban areas in the Growth Plan.

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) has named Bob Finnigan, partner at Herity (Heathwood Homes), CHBA Past President, member of BILD (GTA) and long-time building industry executive, as its Member of the Year.

Great Gulf and Tridel were among the big winners at the recent 39th Annual BILD Awards, as the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) recognized the top builders and developers, projects and marketing initiatives in the industry.

Before you get the keys, you and your builder will do a Pre-Delivery Inspection or PDI. This is an important step – not only does it familiarize you with your new home but it also helps you protect your warranty rights.

Fusion Stone is an easy and budget-friendly way to beautifully upgrade your home, inside and out. A patented Shouldice innovation, Fusion Stone is a thin stone veneer that is easily installed with the included stainless steel clips & screws. You just screw it to the wall and it’s “Hooked for Life”.

Created by fusion of exceptional design, superior quartz quality and cutting-edge technology, HansStone Quartz weaves together intriguing patterns and colours inspired by the diverse Canadian landscape.

Cosentino is a global, family-owned company that produces and distributes high value innovative surfaces for the world of architecture and design, leaders in their respective segments such as Silestone® Quartz surfaces and Dekton® Ultracompact surfaces. Technologically advanced surfaces that create unique designs for the home and public spaces.

Sharing Passion & Performance. With our unique expertise and sensibilities, gained from our devotion to sound and music, we are committed to creating excitement and cultural inspiration together with people around the world.

Fisher & Paykel incorporates the world’s most innovative technologies and produce the most technically advanced, efficient and contemporary styled appliances. DCS created the first line of high end, commercial quality appliances and expanded to pioneer indoor and outdoor kitchen solutions for the at home chef. TRADE ONLY.

SFA SANIFLO INC. (“SANIFLO”) is the only manufacturer of its kind in North America offering a complete line of macerating toilet systems for residential and light-commercial applications where installation of plumbing fixtures with below-floor drainage is impossible or cost-prohibitive.

Since 1989 Men At Work has specialized in renewing and enlarging older houses in core Toronto neighbourhoods. We are experts in managing the challenges of renovating sensitive old buildings into beautiful, functional, comfortable living spaces.

Established in 1987, Caesarstone pioneered the original quartz surface and continues to be a leading developer and manufacturer of premium surfaces. Highly functional and design forward, Caesarstone surfaces have endless application possibilities including kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, wall paneling, furniture and more.

With over 90 years of experience, BLANCO is the leading kitchen sinks and faucets manufacturer. From handcrafted in Germany Steelart® sinks and the beauty of Silgranit®, to the European design faucets, BLANCO products are celebrated worldwide for their unmatched quality and design. Blanco Silgranit® sinks are proudly manufactured in Canada TRADE ONLY.

Euro-Line Appliances has brought elite European engineered appliances to Canadian homes for over 25 years. Our brands exceed expectations and have earned awards in design, engineering, performance, and energy efficiency. All of our cooking, refrigeration, dishwashers, and laundry appliances are created to conserve our non-renewable resources.

Through our customer feedback, we have learned the importance of ‘service’. You said and we listened. We addressed your needs and improvised; bringing you services and quality no one in the industry offers.

We've been proudly serving the community for more than 160 years. We deliver natural gas safely and reliably to two million homes and businesses across Ontario. With safety as our ongoing priority, we're committed to making communities better places to live.

X-Tile is sure to have whatever you need to express your unique individual style. We offer you an exceptional variety of wall and flooring options in ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass, mosaic and much more from leading suppliers around the world. Let our knowledgeable and friendly staff help you in your dream renovation or building project.

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